The Case of the disappearing hedgehog. . .and cat . . .and author

So Anne McAllister arrived in England. At the wrong terminal, true - well, the terminal we weren't expecting her to arrive at - we were at Terminal 1 and she was at Terminal 3 - but we connected in the end (as you can read on her blog) and as with all really good friends it was as if we'd never been apart. I think we stopped talking books and life and - well, more books - when the effects of travelling for what was for her all through the night caught up with Anne and she fell asleep. But we picked up again just as soon as she woke up.

Sid of course was gracious and welcoming in his capacity of host and he rounded up the hedgehogs so that Anne could get her first really close view of them. The very littlest hedgehog (we now have 3 generations of them) came close to the door for his feed of cat crunchies. He has to build up his weight a lot before he tries to hibernate so his need is great and he was quite happy to pose for the camera.

He wasn't quite so happy to appear on Blogger - or, rather, Blogger wasn't quite so happy to have hedgehogs - or cats for that matter - even elegant handsome Cats, cats of Superior Breeding - appear in postings yesterday. Anne and I tried and tried and tried but blogger - and the hogs and The Cat were having none of it. One tiny hedgehog made a fleeting appearance here yesterday - to be spotted by Ms Creativity - but he pretty soon vanished again. So Anne's post had to be without any illustrations of ACOSB or The Littlest Hedgehog. So just in case they don't manage to appear on her blog today either - I have posted both of them here for your delight.

Yesterday was warm and sunny and, after a frustrating morning trying to post pics on blogs - and talking as we did it - we wentout and about and - not suprisiingly I supppose - ended up in a bookshop and bought some books - Anne is already heading for excess baggage I suspect. And we talked all the while too.

Today we will be preparing for the expedition to London where we will meet up with lots of fellow authors and editors . Thursday night will be dinner with other Presents authors. Friday is lunch with even more authors - from all the different M&B lines - so I shall meet up with many friends there. Some of us are going to have afternoon tea together next - And then in the evening there is a drinks reception with Editorial.

Phew! I think I shall be all talked out by then.

If I don't manage to post tomorrow, I shall be packing - or, even worse, ironing before packing - and then travelling. I won't be anywhere near a computer when in London so I don't expect to post then until I get back on Saturday.

So now it's time to post this and see if the incredible disappearing cat - and hog - will appear in public on my blog today. The disappearing author? Well, I have to leave something for Anne to post on hers when she wakes up.